


Following the Butterfly

by Bamboozled_and_Alone



Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alfred and Dick bonding, Alfred is a bamf, Day in the Park, Dick Grayson is baby, Dick as Robin, Dick is an adorable child, Nothing graphic but there's a bit sketchy scene so, Pedophile gets what was coming to him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-02-23 12:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23711500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bamboozled_and_Alone/pseuds/Bamboozled_and_Alone
Summary: A day in the park goes terribly wrong. Luckily, Alfred is there to save the day.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Alfred Pennyworth
Comments: 3
Kudos: 91





	Following the Butterfly

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for a Tumblr prompt submitted anonymously. More notes at the end. Enjoy!

Gotham’s weather was sunny for what felt like the first time in  _ years. _ Dick Grayson was, as any nine year old would be, exceptionally overjoyed by this fact. It had been raining most of the week, and if it  _ wasn’t _ raining, the sky had been covered in a thick layer of gray clouds. Today, however, the sun shone brightly, and there was save but a few puffy white clouds dotting the otherwise clear sky.

The only thing that could have made today better would have been if Bruce were able to be off of work today, but alas, there was a  _ very _ important meeting to be attended. Lucious had made it very clear that Bruce could not miss it. That didn’t make Dick feel much better about the whole ordeal. 

“Alfred?” Dick finally asks, after almost an hour of staring out the window longingly. “Do you think we could go to the city today?”

Alfred looks over, raising an eyebrow as he dusts the mantlepiece. “I don’t suppose I can think of any reason we couldn’t,” He hums. “Any particular reason?”

“Well,” Dick clears his throat, standing up. “I just thought, maybe we could… go somewhere? I’m bored, and Bruce is at his meeting.”

Alfred thinks for a moment, giving a slow nod. “How about the park then, hm? Let me finish dusting first.”

Dick rolls his eyes, but he nods anyways. If there was a spec of dust on that mantlepiece, he would give every last one of his stuffed animals away. He heads up the stairs, figuring he’d better get his shoes and jacket while he waited. 

Half an hour later, and Dick is sitting in the middle seat of the limo, looking out through the tinted windows at the buildings that they pass. Alfred parks the car by the park, and Dick slides out, looking around. There were a few other kids around, spread across the playground. Dick turns to Alfred, who gives a nod.

Dick takes off onto the playground, not hesitating in the slightest. He goes down the slide a few times, does a few flips on the monkey bars, and even manages to make friends with a slightly younger boy named John. John has to leave not much longer though, and Dick is faced with the sad reality that he will probably never see his newfound friend again. He doesn’t mourn the loss for long though, getting distracted by a white butterfly.

Dick follows the butterfly all the way across the park, and promptly across the street. He keeps following the small butterfly until it disappears over the top of a building. Dick sighs in disappointment, turning around to go back to the park once again.

The only issue was that Dick could no longer see the park.

“Uh oh…” Dick frowns. That wasn’t a good sign. He takes a step back, biting his lip as he tries to remember which way he’d come, but he wasn’t having much luck. 

Dick is hit with the startling realization that he was alone on the streets of Gotham. Alfred was nowhere to be seen. Being out here felt  _ much _ different when he wasn’t Robin, even if it was a bright sunny day. 

Dick keeps walking, holding his breath as he does. Someone he recognizes is bound to show up eventually… right? That idea only seems to last for a good ten minutes before he realizes that it’s useless. He keeps walking anyway. Maybe he could find a phone somewhere? He had a few dollars in his pocket. He could go in and exchange one for a few quarters and make a call. If he could ever find a phone, that is.

Too focused on trying to find a phone, Dick doesn’t notice two men standing at the edge of an alley until one of them grabs him by the shoulder and shoves him into the alley. Wide eyed, Dick’s gaze snaps between the two of them, and three more men slink in from the shadows. 

“Well well, if it ain’t the Wayne charity case,” One of them leans forward, and Dick recoils at the strong scent of whiskey coming off his breath. 

“How much do you think he’s worth?” Another tosses a switchblade between their hands, and Dick takes a step back. He could fight back, maybe, but he didn’t have his suit, for starters, and he was still somewhat shocked by the confrontation in the first place. 

“Oh, billions, I’m sure,” The first guy hums, setting a hand on Dick’s shoulder. Dick stiffens, but he finds he can’t move. He wanted to. He wanted to run, or to punch them, or do  _ something _ , but he couldn’t seem to be able to force himself to do it. He just stands there.

“This circus brat?” A different guy huffs. “I bet the old man won’t even hardly look for him.”

The first guy gives a chuckle, leaning forward again, his face just a little  _ too _ close for Dick’s comfort. “Maybe he won’t. Either way, couldn’t hurt to have a little  _ fun _ , could it?” 

Dick sucks in a sharp breath, backing away, only to bump right into another one of the other guys. He freezes, staring at the first guy with his eyes taking up the majority of his face. He wanted to say something, do something, anything. He couldn’t figure out how. He swallows as the guy behind him puts his hands on his shoulders to keep him in place. 

The first guy steps just a little closer with a sloppy grin, putting his hand on Dick’s chin and lifting his face forward. He leans closer, closer, closer… and past Dick’s face. In fact, he entirely slumps down onto the ground. Dick blinks, looking over to see Alfred with a sharp frown as he quickly and efficiently takes out the rest of the group.

With the swiftness and grace that could only come with Alfred Pennyworth, there are five bodies on the ground surrounding Dick. After a moment of processing, Dick suddenly leaps at Alfred, burying his face in the man’s three piece suit as he clings onto the man like a lifeline. He doesn’t say anything, still in a bit of shock, but he lets out a quiet sob when he feels Alfred’s arms wrap around him.

“Master Dick, are you alright?” Alfred asks quietly, softly. Dick lets out a shaky breath, but he nods. That had been terrifying, but he was alright. He would be fine. Probably.

After a few minutes, Dick lets go. “Can we… Can we go home?” He asks, voice quivering. 

“Of course,” Alfred nods, putting a hand behind Dick’s back as they walk out of the alley. “And Master Dick? I am quite proud of you.”

Dick pauses. “You are? But I- But I didn’t do anything.”

“I am. Although, perhaps next time we go to the park, it would be wise to not run away.”

Dick nods, agreeing whole heartedly. “I didn’t mean to… I was just following the butterfly.”

“I understand,” Alfred gives him a reassuring smile. “And we know not to follow butterflies now, don’t we?”

Dick nods, and the two of them continue on towards the car. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! My Tumblr is sparkstime if anybody has any requests. :)


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